Prepare These Healthy Snacks for Your Senior Parent

For family caregivers, an important part of keeping an aging parent healthy is ensuring that they eat a healthy diet. But, it can be hard to figure out how snacking fits into eating well. Many people tend to think of snacks as being things like chips, cookies, or other foods that don’t carry much nutritional value. And healthy snacks, well, that can only be fresh vegetables and pieces of fruit, right? While fruits and veggies are certainly good for your parent, they can get a little boring. So, if you’re looking for some ways to shake up snack time, but still keep it healthy, here are some healthy snack ideas.

Caregiver in Rockford MI: Healthy Snacks

Chocolate-Covered Frozen Bananas.

If your parent craves a cool, sweet treat, skip the fat in ice cream by making up a tray of chocolate-covered frozen bananas. Cut bananas into chunks and dip them into melted chocolate. Dark chocolate is best since it contains antioxidants and helps to lower blood pressure.

Roasted, Spiced Nuts.

Nuts are an excellent source of protein, and they’re very filling. Try tossing almonds in olive oil and sprinkling them with rosemary, or another favorite spice (other than salt, of course!), before roasting them in the oven. Remember to watch portion sizes, though. Nuts are high in calories, so measure out a portion rather than allowing your parent free access to the bowl since studies have shown that people will eat more food if they are offered a larger portion.

Tomato, Feta, and Olive Oil.

Offer a few slices of tomato topped with a sprinkle of feta. Drizzle the tomato and cheese with olive oil and you’ve got a tasty and filling afternoon snack. Tomatoes are low calorie and they contain vitamin C and antioxidants. And, olive oil is recognized as a healthy fat.

Healthy Tortilla Chips.

If your parent likes to snack on crunchy chips, try making a homemade, healthy version. Cut corn tortillas into triangles, then coat them lightly with grapeseed or coconut oil. Sprinkle them with garlic powder, dried cilantro, or another seasoning, then bake them at 350 degrees for about 13 minutes.

As a family caregiver, your senior parent’s health is just one of many things on your mind. If you’re struggling to find time to attend to your parent’s needs while also handling your own responsibilities, hiring a home care provider can help. Home care providers can do all sorts of things for your parent, including preparing healthy meals and snacks. They can also help with light housecleaning, laundry, and other household tasks, giving family caregivers more time for other areas of their lives.

If you or someone you know needs help with caregiver services in Rockford, MI, contact Gauthier Family Home Care. We provide quality and affordable home care services in our community. Call us at (616) 258-2300 for more information.

Dan Gauthier has a long and successful business pedigree. He spent his college years working in the restaurant business and worked in various executive management positions at Universal Forest Products, Inc. over a span of 17 years, and Therm Technology / Family Safety Products for 12 years.

When the recession hit in 2008 Dan was “downsized” from UFP and spent a few years consulting for local companies Amway and Cascade Engineering. During this period Dan’s in-laws were experiencing catastrophic health problems and it required Dan’s wife Marion to focus full time on caregiving for her mother. Marion enlisted help from a local home care agency and it did not go well. This experience led to the creation of Gauthier Family Home Care, a home care agency that is uniquely holistic and family centric. Dan now works full time running GFHC.Google

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